"It is his Majesty's pleasure that you take into your custody the person of Francis Smith, Stationer, for having a hand in printing and compiling dangerous books, and that you keep him close prisoner till further order from his majesty, and for so doing this shall be your warrant. Dated at the court at Whitehall this 15th day of August, 1661. "Edw. Nicholas." "To the Keeper of the Gatehouse, "Westminster, or his deputy. "This word in my warrant 'close prisoner' proved a fatal word to me, as many still living can witness, for the keeper improved it to a tittle; there I was truly buried alive, it being a prison famous for oppression of poor prisoners, as many besides myself can notoriously witness. "For as soon as I was brought thither, a stern gaoler locked me up, and said, I must not see, nor have the liberty of any relations to visit me, without special order from the Secretary first obtained. This looked like cold entertainment to one unacquainted with such a condition. But this, and much more I found as truly performed as promised, being locked up in a room, where I had neither chair nor stool to rest on, and yet ten shillings per week must be the price, and before I had been there three nights £7. 15. 0 was demanded for present fees. That is to say, five pounds to excuse me from wearing irons, ten shillings for my entrance week lodging, five shillings sheets, five shillings garnish money, the rest for turnkey fees; upon which I gave this answer, that I did not understand any just cause for imprisonment, much less to pay such fees, and for wearing of irons I would not pay five groats to be excused, if he could by law impose irons on me, I would wear them. Upon this many cruel endeavours were used, whereby to exact consent of these fees from me; and my afflicted wife not suffered to speak with me but in the presence of the keeper, after chargeable orders, for so much privilege first obtained, nay many times orders denied for my friends admittance; in the presence of the keeper, and my window casements must be nailed up that I should not have the benefit of that common air which is every slave's birthright. And when provision was sent for my necessary support, yet was that many times kept back and frequent fasts imposed upon me, and what was sent for my dinner at 12 o'clock, must be given me four or five hours after, which I usually breakfasted with, and should be sure to want beer or bread, so I was forced to devise a way by a bag and a string to be let down in the night at a window, to convey some necessary food to me. Things continued thus several weeks, in which time for receiving a note at the keyhole by an open prisoner, sent from my poor wife then sick and weary with grief, and successless travels at my release, I was taken out of this room, and locked up in a trap-door room about 20 days, where I could hardly be heard